H. B. 4571

         (By Delegates Sobonya, Miller, Frich,

          Householder, Rowan, Arvon, Border, Faircloth,

                   McCuskey, Folk and Howell)

         [Introduced February 17, 2014; referred to the

         Committee on Industry and Labor then the Judiciary.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §21-3-1a, relating to requiring the Commissioner of Labor to conduct a study on workplace accidents at construction sites; setting forth requirements of the study; requiring a report; providing a purpose; and defining terms.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §21-3-1a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 3. SAFETY AND WELFARE OF EMPLOYEES.

§21-3-1a. Commissioner to study workplace accidents at                 construction sites; purpose; reports.

    (a) Beginning July 1, 2014 the Commissioner of Labor shall conduct a one year study of workplace injuries and fatalities at construction sites in the state. The information and basis of the study shall be the workplace injury reports contractors are required to file pursuant to section one of this article. The commissioner may also use information derived from other sources in completing the report. The report shall be submitted no later than October 1, 2015 to the House of Delegates Industry and Labor Committee and the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.

    (b) The purpose of the study is to review the needs and benefits of requiring additional occupational safety and health standards, rules and courses and reviewing current standards, rules and courses. The workplace injury information collected by the commissioner shall include the specific safety training, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) approved ten-hour construction safety program, each injured worker received before the injury.

    (c) For the purposes of this section the terms “contractor” and “construction site” have the same meanings as those terms are defined by section nineteen, article twelve, chapter eleven of this code.

    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Commissioner of Labor to conduct a study on workplace accidents at construction sites. The bill sets forth requirements of the study. The bill requires a report. The bill sets forth a purpose and defines terms.

    This section is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.